Apparatus for the recovery of precious metals from metalliferous earths.



( v P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS.

- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1897- Y, Patented June 20, 1916.

i5 SHEETS-SHEEI l- RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. I897. JLJ'RQSW.

APPARATUS FOR THE Patented June 20, 1916.

15 SHEETSSHEE12.

P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS.

' APPLICATION FILED 0CT.16. I897.

- Patented J 11116 20, 1916.

I5 SHEETS-SHEEI 3.

P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. [6. I892.

Patented June 20, 1916.

l5 SHEETS-SHEE] 4- P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EART HS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I6. I89?- Patented June 20, 1916.

15 SHEETS SHEET 5.

P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROLIS EARTHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I6, 1897- PIN. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PREGlOUS METALS FROM METALL'IFEROUS EARTHS.

m APPLICATION HLED OCT.16 |897. ll m liflg fw Patented June 20, 1916.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

P. N. RAMSEY. APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALUFEROUS EARTHS. W mm APPLICATION mid ocr. I6, 1897. v A

mi. J 9%;. Patented June 20, 1916.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

P. N. RAMSEY, APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF Pmacious METALS mom mmmmous mm'ns.

W; M APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 18971 T I 11 f f a Patentei June 20,1916.

l5 SHEETSSHEEI 9.

P. N. RAMSEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLEFERDUS EARTHS.

Patented June 20, 1916 I5 SHEETS-SHEE1 I0.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15. I897.

e". N. RAMSEY,

APPARATUS FQR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS MEYALS FROM METALLIFERGUS EARTHSu APPLIUATEON FILED OCT. 16. W97.

Patentefi Jum 20, 1916 15 SHEETS-SHEE1 I 1,

P. N. RAMSEY.

APPARATUS FDR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EAHTHS.

APPLICATIGN FILED 06115 189].

Jam

F. N. RAMSEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FRUM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS,

7 APPLICATION FILED 00116,)897- v 1 1 A 1. F QQ Z Patented J unv 20, 191(7 15 SHEETS SHEET l3- P. N. RAMSEYP APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EARTHS APPLICATION FTLED OCT. 16. I897.

. Q 7 2W Z WW Fm a 1 3i @TRQ'Y.

gngamfim mm P. N. RAMSEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM METALLIFEROUS EAPTHS.

M v APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 1897. i5 8 KQQ ZK lahmied June 20, 1916.

15 SHEETSSHEEI l5.

N. RAIZKSEY, O1? IhlE'W iTtlRK,

FIEtDJlI illililfl isllllll lilitfi llfii 2 o (1.35 whom it may concern:

lie it vknown. that l, Pn'rnn N. RAMSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New Yorltghaveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus for the lriecovery of Precious Metals ironi Metal- 1 "ths, fully described and reprein: following specifics; ion and the swings, torn a part of ion relates to an improved so ecovery ofvaluahlc n'ietals u s h 3 h such iottoms an apparatus by whitolncer lJEliS or rm f the water and so rapidly "lat material containing; but

apparatus i Washer 31 removal of the coarse the coarser vity metal and metal particles '1' noved separately from waste and liner material, separating dea by whichthe liner aluable material is .(l into line :unl ls line material, and an :miulganiator.lo \vhic ."thc line n'niterinl l e "line material, as well as the or gravity metal nini inetul' hearing particles previously preferred to, being treated by gravityfand anialgannrting devices, and the waste from the amalgrimator being subjected to another --arati on so as to save the cleaner water to. reuse in the apparatus when economy of water is important, as is frequently the case. however, an important pan; of the invention consists in features of construction and coinhination or". devices inan apparatus for the complete treatment of metalliferous earths, many parts of my apparatus may he used in machines by which only a partial treatment of such material is performed, or other metal carrying material istrcated, and my improved separator and many features therein for removing the coarser portion of the material may be used inthe separation of materials for othenpurposcs than the re- Specification of lgctters Patent.

contage of metal may he haniron; the liner material containing the While,

Patented June so, sci-m1 No. 655,474..

covery of precious metals and in treating materials of many different classes, and the invention therefore, includes various features of construction and combinations or" parts in. separating, amalgamating, gravity, washing, and other devices used in my apparatus, all as particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed hereafter.

As full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a construction embodying the same, such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an apparatus embodying all the features of the invention in the best form now known to me, and the features torn'iing the invention. will then he specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings of the apps. 'al-us, largely diagrammatic.- Fig. 2 is a similar side view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus looking to the right in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig.

4 is a section on the line 4: of Fig. 2 looking to the right. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 of Figs. 1 and 2 looking to the right. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the rotary washer and separator, the outer cylinder being shown in section and the inner cylinder partly in section and partly in elevation for purpose oi illustration. lflig. 7 is a sectional end elevation of the separator looking to the .right from line 7 of I ig. (i. l 8 is a longiludinai section of the delivery end of the separator with l'he perlorated feeding spirals omitted and showing especially the discharging devices of the separator and the mounting of the inner feed spiral, the view being taken on line 8 of Fig. 7. Fig; 9 is an end view of the receiving end of thesepa rator looking to the left from line ,9 of Fig. 10. Fig. '10 is a central longitndnial section of. the receiving end of the separator with the perforated feeding spirals and plows 7r omitted, and showing especially the center feed spiral, and devices for feeding material thereto. Figs. 11 and 12 are sections on respectively lines 11 and 12 of Fig. 6 looking to the left. Fig. 18 is a detail perspective of 9. portion of the inner screen and interrupted spiral inside the same. Fig. 14: is an en.- larged perspective detail of one of the plows shown in Fig. 13. Fin-[15 is a perspective view of the outer side out the inner, screen Ill Figure l is a plan view and feeding blades thereon. .Fig. l6is an enlarged side view of the amalgamating portion of the apparatus looking in the same direction as Fig. 2. Fig. 17 is an end view of the same looking to the right in Fig. 16.

Fig. i8 is a detail view of the Washerand chemical feeding chamber. Fig. 19 is a central vertical section of the same on the line 19 of Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a detail. cross sec- Fig.22f is a detail enlarged cross section of on the line 26 of Fig. 24;. Fig. 27 is a cross one of the mercury pots and corresponding spray pipe. Fig. 23 is a detail end view of one of the gravlty and amalgainatlng rockers looking to the left in Fig. 24.; Fig. 2a

is a side elevation of the same Fig. 25 is an end. view of the same looking to the right inFig. 24. Fig. 26 is-a horizontal section section of the panon the line.27 of Fig. PA. Fig. 28 is a longitudinal section on the line 28 of Fig. 27 Fig. 29 is a detail section on; the line29 of Fig. 26. Fig. 30 is a longitu-.

dinal central section of the separating rocker and tank from Which the fine material passes to the amalgamator, taken on the line 30 of Fig. 1. Fig. 30 is a horizontal section on the line 30 of Fig. 30. Fig. 30 is a vertical section on the line 30 of Fig. 30. Fig.

31 is a similar section of the separating rocker for the waste from the amalgamator taken on the line, 31 of Fig. 1. Fig: 32 is material passes to the amalgamator.

. a horizontal section'onthe line 32 oi? Fig.

31. Fig. 33'is a detail central section of one of the ,tanks to which the bucket elevators deliver. Fig. 3a shows a modified construction employing a screw elevator for delivering the heavier material from the washer and separator to its rocker. longitudinal. central section of a cylindrical separator that may be used in place-of the separating rocker from which the fine Fi 36 is a detail cross section of Fig. 35 on th e line 36 showing the jet pipe therein. Fig. 37 is' a vertical elevation of a cylindrical separator that may be used in place of the separating rocker for the waste from the amalgamator, the separator screen being partially broken away to show the construction. Figs. 38 to 40 show in detail the pre-- ferred construction of the conveyer for delivering the waste material, Figs. 38 and 39 being respectively a detail side view and a plan view of a series of the buckets and Fig. .40 a plan of one of the blanks from which the buckets are made. I A brief statement of the general features of the particular apparatus shown will first be given, from which tlie'further detailed Fig. 35 is it delivers all the waste solid material.

description of the specific construction and operation of the various parts will be more readily understood. .Tlie material to be treated is delivered through a hopper A to a cylindrical washer and separator B rotating in a tank 0 partially filled with water, the coarse waste from this rotating separator B being delivered through a chute D upon a conveyer E by which it is carried away from the apparatus and delivered at any convenient point, while the finer valuable material that passes through the outer screen of the separator B falls-into the tank C and is delivered therefrom to a bucket elevator F, which raises material. is divided into fine and less fine material, the less fine passing to another rocker I for the recovery of the free metal and metal carrying particles by gravity and amalgamation, and the fine material passing to the amalgamator K, which is provided withinclin'ed amalgamating plates and devices co-actingtherewith for the ellicient recovery of the metal by amalgamation. The waste material from the amalgamator passes to a sepond bucket elevator L by which it is 5 raised and delivered to another tank M,

which may be' similarlto the tank G, and from which it passes to another separatingdevice, preferably a rocker N having the same movement as the rocker H but 0011- structed to separate out the solid material or tailings and deliver it to acarrier O for delivery to the conveyer E, and acting to separate the water into two portions, the

cleanerto be returned, if desired, to the hop .per or tank G to be used again and the dirtier Water. to be delivered to waste. The washer separator B in the preferred form shown acts also to separate out the heavier portion of the material that collects on the outer screen at the end of the separator, which is the metal carrying material larger than that passing through the separator into the tank C for further treatment, as described, which material is delivered from the separator to a rocker P similar in construction and movement to the-rocker I and in which the free metal and metal carrying particles are recovered by gravity and ainalgamation, the waste material from this rocker also passing to the conveyor E, so that the conveyer E, in the apparatus shown, The entire apparatus is shown as mounted upon trucks Q running upon rails so that the 5 apparatus may be readily moved alongthe bank or excavation from which the material to be-treated is being taken.

Proceeding now with the detailed description of the invention, the parts of the appa g which the'raking fingers move, so that the material passes from the hopper directly over and onto the raking fingers" working below this ofl'set. By this con- 5 struction, large stones, which otherwise would strike directly against the ends of the raking fingers and are liable to break or bend them, are receivedupon the tops of the fingers and thus gradually lifted and readily carried into the separator. avoiding danger of injury to the apparatus. and secuing certainty in handling large material- Within the feed spiral a is a series of plowsh secuied at intervals to the bars forming the spiral. These plows may be omitted but increase the 'efiiciency of the apparatus as her'etoforedescribed and are preferably used.

Between the central feeding spiral a and zothe inner screen 14 is a second feeding spiral, preferably formed, as shown, of a series of. spirally arranged ,teetlrze with spaces between them, so as to form an interrupted feeding spiral with sluiceways 35 between the successive portions of the spiral. These teeth are preferably formed with webs 38 set angularly to the spiral and with steps 37 on their forward faces, which steps form lifting surfaces by which the material is to repeatedly raised and allowed to drop as the separator rotates. Over the angles formed by the steps and angular webs, are preferably secured strong wedge shaped pieces of metal or plows f, with the edge of the wedge presented to the material, and

recessed at the base, asshowmso as to overlap on and be secured to the angles of the teeth 0. between the teeth a other sluiceways 36 be- 40 tween the teeth and screen Mare preferably provided, these being formed in the constructionshown by ears 2' secured to the screen 1% to hold the teeth, the body of the teeth thus being offset from the screen. The

faces and angular webs of these teeth a are preferably perforated, as shown, with a largenumber of holes suited to the work to be performed, so that the fine material will not be carried on bodily by the spirally 0 arranged teeth but be allowed to pass and material to" wash back through these sluiceways so as to be acted upon again and again before the waste reaches the delivery end of the separator.

' Within the outer chamber of the separator between screens 14:, '15, is anotherfeeding spiral, preferably interrupted and perforated, and which may consist of teeth simi- In addition to the sluiceways lar'to teeth a above described but which is preferably formed by spirally arranged blades 9 separated to form sluiceways 39 between them and which are secured to screen 14 by cars 3 so as tobe offset from the screen and form other sluipeways -10 between them and the screen. These blades 9 may be straight but preferably are curved angularly to tie spiral as shown, so as to work against the material as they plow through it, which tends to raise the material and secure the passage of the finer par-' ticles through the perforations. The sluiceways 3;), 40 act in the same manner as those of thespiral formed by teeth e as previously described, and secure the repeated working over and complete disintegration and sepa ration of the material in the outer chamber. Y

At the delivery end of the separator is a charge mouth 18 and in Whiclnare placed one or more, and preferably twq, as shown, lifting discharging buckets of which are spirally 'curved inward and longitudinally of the separator from the outer-chamber and have their webs set angularly to the axis of the separator, as shown, so as to dischargethe-material rapidly by gravitation. The delivery ends of these buckets lie .within the discharging mouth 18 of the separator and are firmly secured to the inner side thereof, and these buckets are preferably cut back, substantiallyas shown, so asto provide orifices 29 for the delivery of large material. The inner or loading ends of the buckets may. be secured to the outer wall of the delivery chamber and the latter formed in any suitable manner, but the construction shown is prefcrred,'in which each of the buckets is extended through a half circle concentrically with the separator and secured together to form a ring 33, as shown in Fig. 11., which is the wall of the delivery chamber, this ring being secured at the ed e to the head 13, thus providing a strong rigid support for the buckets (l a d for the com tral feeding spiral a which is secured there to. The ring 33 may form the outer wall of the separator, if the heavier, portion of the material on screen 15 is not to be separately removed, but in the vconstruction shown the ring 16 lies outsidethc ring 33 and forms an annular chamber between the rings, and the ring 33- is preferably inclined as 'shown, for a purpose presently to be described.

It will be seen that the discharging buckets (Z have loading webs that extend from the outer chamber of the separator through openings in the screen 14 and .through the inner chamber so as to deliver material from the three feeding spirals. As shown in Fig.

v 8, the openings through the screen 14 are formed so as to perm t the material to be at delivery chamber terminating in the dis carried by the buckets d from the outer chamber to the delivery point. The discharging buckets d are preferably perforated throughout, as shown, so as to permit all the water taken up thereby to pass through-the perforations and not be delivered by the buckets.

The construction shown having two dis-- charging buckets, is preferred as securing best the rapid delivery of large material with a small separator and discharge mouth. If a single bucket be used, large material may be delivered, but more slowly, while a greater number of buckets increases the rate of, delivery but requires a larger discharge mouth for the delivery of large material than with two buckets.

Through the annular chamber between the rings lfi, 33 is delivered the heavier portion (11 the material collected at the end of screen 16, by a series of inclined lifting fingers z forming buckets and projecting through the narrow opening between rings 16, 33 and over the end of screen 15, these fingers pperating to cut out the bottom layers of [material on the screen and raise and d'eliverthem through the annular chamher and from the separator through a series of openings 43 into the tank or chalnl'ier previously referred to, and from which the material is removed by the buckets 26, 27. The inner plate 33 is inclined as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 so as to enlarge the annular chamber inside the narrow opening onto the screen, and thus permit the material to pass down freely along the fingers 2' to the openings 43 as the separator rotates. The feeding surfaces of the fingers i are preferably inclined, as shown, so as to form troughs for the material carried thereby. The waste material delivered by the discharging; buckets cl through the mouth 18 passes through the chute D below it directly onto the lower end of the conveyor E and is thus suitably delivered.

The line valuable material that passes through the outer screen 125 into the tank; C passes into the lower part of the tank which is arranged so as to guide this material to a bottom chamber 4A therein, in which runs a screw conveyor 45 which forces this material through a pipe 46 to a tank 47 in which the lower end of the chain of elevator buckets l? runs andfrom which this ma: terial is taken byrsaid buckets. The screw 45 is run at a high rate of'speed so as to act in conjunction with the pipe 46 as a suction device by which a strong suction action is exerted upon the material in the separator B, this aiding materially in securing the removal of fine flake and flour metal from the material in the separator and its delivery through the outer screen. 15 to the tang: U.

devices may be used for the delivery'of the It will beunderstood that other material from the tank 0 and for maintaining a suitable suction upon the separator, but the form shown issimple and will be found well adapted for the purpose.

The water within the tank C is preferably maintained at a level. up to.or near the bottoms of the receiving and delivering mouths of the separator, and the overflow of the tank 47 by water carried from the tank 0 is prevented by the overflow pipe 48 connecting tank 47 with tank C.

The coarse gravity material delivered by the fingers i to the chamber 25 and thence by the buckets 26, 27 through the chute 28 is to be treated for the recovery of metal therefrom, and this is done by gravity deyiees with which is preferably used amalgamation, these gravity devices in the preferred form shown consisting of rocker l in which this material is treated so as to re cover by gravity and amalgamation the free metal and metal bearing particles, the waste material from said rocker preferably being delivered to the conveyor E and the water i from which such material has been removed being returned to the tank C again for use in the apparatus, if it is desired to econoinize in water.

The construction of this rocker and its actuating parts is as follows, the object being to provide an improved rocker securing by a movement resembling that employed in hand panning the efiicient and rapid sep-' aration of the metals from the waste. Re ferring now especially to Figs. 23 to 29, the rocker pan P is preferably formed as shown with curved sides and tapering; sidewise from its rear or receiving end to its forward or delivering end so as to direct the material received thereby toward the center of the pan, andis preferably covered, as shown, throughout substantially its entire length so as to avoid splashing therefrom dur its movement, the pan thus being of all; approximately elliptical "or a flattened ellipticalshape in cross section and inclined downwalrd toward its delivery end so that the water and material therein will gradually pass onward through the rocker to its lower delivering end.

increasing in width from the receiving to. the delivering end of the pan, and along this groove are formed openings in the bottom y In the bottom of the rocker is preferably "formed a longitudinal groove 49, shown as of the pan and below these openings are mercury cups is. Une or more such openings and mercury cups may be used, but preferably a considerable number, four being shown for' purpose of illustration. These mercury cups 7c consist of a metal body provided. with a top cup-shaped recess for holding mercury to substantially the level of the bottom of the groove 49,.this

body being provided'with cars 51 by which 

